Workplace sensors help to get the job done

Healthy workplaces with optimal temperature and air quality can boost productivity. A 2014 study published by the National Center for Biotechnical Information measured a 38.56% impact on job performance as a result of temperature extremes.

In commercial and office buildings, sensors help ensure comfort and safety within the environment.

Here is how they boost workplace wellness:

Providing safety

Smoke detectors are required in most commercial buildings because they save lives! Among the common building code requirements, the sensors must be powered through building wiring with a battery backup. They are tagged with the dates of the most recent maintenance and when backup batteries were replaced.

Carbon Monoxide presents a risk wherever fossil fuels are burned. That includes boilers, as wells as stoves and fryers in many commercial kitchens. Also, CO detectorsmust be installed if vehicles run in an attached garage or warehouse. Several states require them in all commercial lodgings.

Maintaining or monitoring temperature

The thermostats that control Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems are the most familiar but the sensors can have other purposes as well. In certain industrial spaces, warehouses, tool sheds, and other areas lacking HVAC equipment, the sensors may warn of extremes when portable heat or cooling fans can save inventory or plant production.

Replacing stale air

Even at an ideal temperature, stale air hinders concentration by triggering headaches and sleepiness. Extreme CO2 concentrations above 40,000 parts per million (ppm) can cause brain damage, and even be fatal. Occupied Indoor spaces will typically have 350 – 1,000ppm.

If office air seems stale or worker health seems affected, an initial assessment may determine if CO2 sensors should be installed. CO2 monitors and meters may be wired, wireless, or handheld. Some, integral to HVAC components, may control the fresh outdoor air being supplied to the system.

Controlling humidity

At different temperatures, excess humidity in an office environment brings chills or perspiration, guaranteeing complaints in any season. Relative humidity sensors are most common in industrial and commercial applications. They remain reliable even at high temperatures and when condensation or chemical vapors have occurred. Available solutions include hand-held hygrometers for occasional assessment to wall-mounted or duct-mounted transmitters.

HVAC systems are designed for heating and cooling, not for efficiently controlling humidity. Relative humidity sensors should control dehumidification systems, not HVAC, which can cool the air too much while removing humidity from it.

If not required for fire and smoke detection, sensors can be installed without wiring. Batteries can supply the power for months, and readings can be transmitted via wi-fi.

The minor expense and simple installation can pay dividends. In its Office Building Occupants Guide to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), the EPA reports that improved IAQ brings improved productivity along with fewer lost work days. The agency advises that poor indoor air could cost tens of billions of dollars each year in lost productivity and medical care.

How’s the IAQ at your workplace? Contact ecoPreserve if we may provide further information or an assessment. Thank you!

With over 19 years in the environmental safety and health profession, Alberto Brioso bears a deep understanding of the synergy between sustainability and health. He has worked in both the public and private sectors during his career and has extensive experience in safety and health consulting. Alberto has also performed hundreds of indoor air quality (IEQ) assessments including IEQ commissioning for LEED projects.